A social justice based activity can be very interesting and beneficial for a student, especially one who is an English Language Learner. Unfortunately, in our society many of the people who face injustices are minorities and immigrants, therefore many English Language Learners face injustices in our society. For this reason, it can be very beneficial for an ELL to take part in school activities that are based off of social justice. Social Justice can be used as a tool to motivate students to learn and to take action in our society. Many students can be a lot more interested in what they are learning, as well as they can take part in what they are learning. English Language Learners can get many opportunities in a social justice based activity to practice and improve their English language skills.
Activity 1: Rethinking Columbus
I adapted this activity from an essay written by Bob Peterson titled Columbus and Native Issues in the Elementary Classroom, which can be found in a book edited by Bill Bigelow and Bob Peterson titled Rethinking Columbus. This activity was created for an elementary classroom, but I am sure that it can be adapted to work in a middle or high school classroom as well. In this activity, students will critique their social studies about how it describes Columbus reaching the Americas and his actions once he landed. Before this activity the students will need a short introduction about this topic. After the introduction, students will be separated into groups and they will be given a few questions that they should answer as a group. Example questions taken from the essay: How many times did Columbus talk?, How many times did we get to know what he was thinking?, How many of the native people had names?, How many times did the native people talk?, How many times did we get to know what the Native people were thinking? There are more questions present in the book, and the teacher can also come up with his/her questions that he/she believes will work well in the classroom. Once the students discuss these questions, they should write them down and be ready to discuss their answers with the class. This activity can teach students to think critically, as well as practice the English language by writing, reading, and speaking with each other. It will also show students that their can be many different perspectives for a historical event.
Activity 2: Promoting Social Imagination Through Interior Monologues
This activity was adapted from a chapter written by Linda Christensen and Bill Bigelow titled Promoting Social Imagination Through Interior Monologues which can be found in Rethinking Our Classrooms volume 1. This activity was originally intended for high school students, but it can be adapted for elementary and middle school students as well. In this activity students will take on a role of someone they have been studying in their history classroom or book that they are reading. The student will have to pretend like they are this person, and they will have to write an essay or poem from this person's point of view. Since this is a social justice based activity, the character that the students take on should be someone who has been struggling because of unjust societal factors. Once the student has written the essay or interview, they should be able to read it out to the class. I believe that this activity can help students become better members of society by studying some of the injustices that people face or have faced throughout the world. It will also help them to write from a point of view which is not their own. Students can be given opportunities to do research throughout this activity which can help them with their reading skills. I believe that this activity can be beneficial for all students, because it gives them an opportunity to see the world from someone else's eyes.
Activity 1: Rethinking Columbus
I adapted this activity from an essay written by Bob Peterson titled Columbus and Native Issues in the Elementary Classroom, which can be found in a book edited by Bill Bigelow and Bob Peterson titled Rethinking Columbus. This activity was created for an elementary classroom, but I am sure that it can be adapted to work in a middle or high school classroom as well. In this activity, students will critique their social studies about how it describes Columbus reaching the Americas and his actions once he landed. Before this activity the students will need a short introduction about this topic. After the introduction, students will be separated into groups and they will be given a few questions that they should answer as a group. Example questions taken from the essay: How many times did Columbus talk?, How many times did we get to know what he was thinking?, How many of the native people had names?, How many times did the native people talk?, How many times did we get to know what the Native people were thinking? There are more questions present in the book, and the teacher can also come up with his/her questions that he/she believes will work well in the classroom. Once the students discuss these questions, they should write them down and be ready to discuss their answers with the class. This activity can teach students to think critically, as well as practice the English language by writing, reading, and speaking with each other. It will also show students that their can be many different perspectives for a historical event.
Activity 2: Promoting Social Imagination Through Interior Monologues
This activity was adapted from a chapter written by Linda Christensen and Bill Bigelow titled Promoting Social Imagination Through Interior Monologues which can be found in Rethinking Our Classrooms volume 1. This activity was originally intended for high school students, but it can be adapted for elementary and middle school students as well. In this activity students will take on a role of someone they have been studying in their history classroom or book that they are reading. The student will have to pretend like they are this person, and they will have to write an essay or poem from this person's point of view. Since this is a social justice based activity, the character that the students take on should be someone who has been struggling because of unjust societal factors. Once the student has written the essay or interview, they should be able to read it out to the class. I believe that this activity can help students become better members of society by studying some of the injustices that people face or have faced throughout the world. It will also help them to write from a point of view which is not their own. Students can be given opportunities to do research throughout this activity which can help them with their reading skills. I believe that this activity can be beneficial for all students, because it gives them an opportunity to see the world from someone else's eyes.